# Barbie.... Iconic? Trashy?



## divadoll (Dec 4, 2011)

Barbie is so disproportionate that she can't stand if she was a real person... and her feet are too small.


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## katana (Dec 4, 2011)

I thought maybe I should start a seperate thread for Barbie, as we don't want other threads to turn into discussions about her rather then the original topic being talked about.

So post your thoughts on the Barbie Doll icon that has been a part of all of our lives.


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## divadoll (Dec 4, 2011)

Having survived 52 yrs, Barbie can't be anything but Iconic.   She has lasted the test of time, at least 3 generations of girls know who she is.


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## katana (Dec 4, 2011)

"American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration."

What would Barbies measurements be if she were real?









So as we all knew her proportions are completely unrealistic. Ridiculous at that.

Do you think she is a bad influence on young girls, or just an innocent toy?


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## katana (Dec 4, 2011)

> Originally Posted by *divadoll* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Having survived 52 yrs, Barbie can't be anything but Iconic.   She has lasted the test of time, at least 3 generations of girls know who she is.


She is definitely iconic.

Even girls who are too old to play with dolls still love her. The MAC barbie collection was hugely popular!

My mom collects limited edition collector barbie dolls each year. They can be really expensive but they are never opened or played with. At Christmas the dolls they have as collector items are gorgeous, wearing incredible clothing!


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## americanclassic (Dec 4, 2011)

media portrayal of women has a huge impact on the way girls perceive themselves, but honestly I think peer influence is more important. when I was growing up, I had really wholesome friends, and none of us were interested in looking hot and sexy as 12-year-olds. sure, I saw 'scandalous' things like britney spears' bare midriff, but it didn't affect me as much. I feel self-conscious when I'm not wearing makeup or clothes that flatter me, and I would hate to have felt that way as a kid. my sister is 13 right now, and she made a HUGE transformation when she changed friends; the way she treats people, the way she sees herself, etc, is so different now..

I think the way kids are growing up is outpacing the way people should parent. when I was a kid/tween, communication and media weren't as instant--no 4G phones or even texting. no myspace or facebook. there wasn't online bullying or tumblrs devoted to 'thinspiration' or how to diet. music videos back then didn't involve as much dry-humping and almost-nudity. 

if the teen is old enough, I don't think makeup names are that important (as long as they're not straight-up vulgar, like orgasm or deep throat)--the name is sort-of an afterthought. if a 16-year-old girl sees that too faced palette and knows what a lap dance is already, I don't think it'd make her more likely to become a stripper


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## internetchick (Dec 4, 2011)

Not that I disagree with Barbie and her unreal proportions, but even the chick that did the representation above admitted that wasn't an exact representation of how she would look life sized. She would still look like a crazy, big breasted alien though.


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## LauraJean396 (Dec 4, 2011)

She is an icon... unfortunately over time she is becoming more and more trashy.  :/


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## Bonnie Krupa (Dec 4, 2011)

Barbie never played a roll in how I view my body because to me, it's just a doll.  I do think it's sad when ppl get surgeries to make themselves look like barbie.


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## spittingpink (Dec 4, 2011)

lets be honest here, we are talking about a doll that was copied from a german fetish doll! who cares what her proportions were? if your gonna be annoyed at that, be annoyed mattel were selling you a second hand sex doll! that said.

I have no issue with it, I love barbie and I have never had warped ideas of what a woman should look like!


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## musingmuse (Dec 4, 2011)

I like the vintage barbie dolls! They look classy and witchy in a good way.


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## katana (Dec 4, 2011)

I like the vintage swimwear that barbie had.

Between myself and two sisters we had an entire trunk full of barbie dolls, accessories and clothing, growing up. It didn't negetively effect our view of body images. It was all in good fun that we played with the dolls.


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## katana (Dec 4, 2011)

I found some interesting babrie photos, did she really downsize a little bit since the 90's?

I had the dolls of the 90s myself.





Some first generation Barbie dolls:





Barbie through the ages:


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## musingmuse (Dec 5, 2011)

Very interesting. The 90s barbie torso looks more like a man's body.


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## SarahNerd (Dec 5, 2011)

I have a good collection of vintage and higher end limited edition Barbies.  I have my moms first Barbie.  I guess just think it's pretty cool that my mom, me, and now my daughters all have the same toy in common. I don't "play" with my Barbies anymore but I still buy them a lot at auctions.  I see it as investment for my kiddos.  I'm pretty confident that will value will not go down at least on the vintage ones and some of the lines like The Bob Mackie ones.

Her shape sucks when compared to a real woman but most of my kids toys are exaggerated in one way or another.  Also keep in mind the original Barbie was copied off of Bild Lilli dolls who were created from a cartoon character who was very sexual and aimed at men. 

I think I like and appreciate Barbie more as an adult but for different reasons then I did as a kid.


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## 13Bluestar97 (Dec 5, 2011)

I remember my first Barbie had that 90's body- and where I lived in Russia they had hollow, cheap plastic Barbie knockoffs and I had a bunch of them (I used to push their boobs in to the point they looked like volcano craters XDXD). Also, the Barbies I owned had their clothes superglued to them and it annoyed me because I could only change their shoes. I think Barbie is iconic but will be a nightmare if we have a real-life Barbie person.


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